Not This Time
by Cassandra147
Summary: Why Lin didn't come to Zaofu.


_Summary: Why Lin didn't come to Zaofu. _

Bam! Bam! Bam!

"What the fuck is it now?" Lin groaned as she rolled out of bed. Snatching up her robe, she tugged it on as she walked to the front door. She belted it, then checked the peephole.

In the diffused light of a nearby streetlamp, Su raised her fist to continue banging.

"Ah hell."

Bam!

Lin threw the bolts, one steel and two of the hardest known wood, and opened the door. She caught Su's wrist before her fist connected with the door again.

"I have a doorbell. And a phone," Lin growled.

"Sorry," snapped Su, pressing forwards. Lin allowed Su to shoulder her aside and enter the house, only raising a brow at the suitcases in Su's hands. "I couldn't stay in that place with _her_ - I just couldn't."

Closing the door, Lin locked it. "Don't blame you. Pick whatever bedroom you like."

"Thanks," Su said, already moving.

"I'll make tea," Lin called after her. So much for sleep.

Lin decided against using the porcelain cups, the ones decorated with mountains. Instead, she picked the sturdy ceramic mugs, mass-produced and holding no special value.

"I like what you've done with the house," Su declared as she entered. Lin spooned tea leaves into the pot, kettle heating on the stove. "The paintings and wall scrolls especially. They make the walls look less empty."

"Hmm...yes, well, Mother never did see the point of those kinds of things."

"Being blind," Su finished the thought. She leaned, nose over the tea canister, and sniffed. "Rose hips and jasmine. I thought you didn't like herbal blends."

Lin shrugged. "I do now. Sometimes."

"People change," muttered Su. "You think you know someone and suddenly, curse it, Lin! Why did she do that? Why?"

"For the same reason most people do things, because they think they're right."

Ever increasing in pitch, Su demanded,"But how can she - I taught her! I took her in, I sheltered her, I mentored her, I helped her develop her potential and now she does this! Sets herself up as a tyrant!"

Hung from the ceiling, metal pots and pans clanged. Outside, the rock garden trembled.

"Su," Lin gripped her sister's arms, "Breathe and go sit down before you cause a quake."

She reached out with her own bending and stilled metal and stone. Looking slightly abashed, Su settled at the table.

"Oma and Shu, I haven't lost control like that in years - but she makes me so _angry._" Su balled her hands into fists.

"Got that."

Lin searched the cabinets, finding a tin of dried fruit. She placed it, the cups, and spoons on the table.

Su promptly popped the tin's lid. She ripped the fruit into pieces with her teeth before gnawing on them with vigor.

When the kettle boiled, Lin filled the pot and brought it to the table. For a while, Su attempted to relax, inhaling the soothing scents and appreciating the gentle flavors.

Bam! Tea sloshed out of the cup.

"What the fuck happened? Was it something I did? Did I screw her up or did she screw herself up? And my son? How the hell - "

Lin interrupted, "I'm sure you did what you thought was best. In the end, we're all responsible for our own choices. Kuvira's, and Bataar's, choices are not your fault."

"What do you think of this? You weren't at the meeting."

"I'm not a world leader, just a Chief of Police," Lin reminded her.

"Still, you must believe Kuvira's as much of a threat as I do. She has to be stopped. She's a tyrant. If she had just done what she promised -"

"You were fooling yourselves," stated Lin bluntly. "Once she began, once she had the momentum, there was no way she going to turn the Earth Kingdom over to that idiot."

"She said -"

"You believe her because you wanted to believe her. All of you did." Lin fixed Su in her gaze. "Why did you support Prince Wu?"

"He's the rightful heir," Su declared.

"Funny. I seem to remember _you_ saying how ridiculous a hereditary monarchy was."

Su broke the stare. "There was a vacuum of power, we need a leader -"

"Bison shit, Su. Prince Wu is conceited, selfish, and thoughtless. He would be every bit as bad as his great-aunt." Dark amusement colored Lin's eyes. "I understand Kuvira there, I wouldn't have kneeled and handed over my nation to him."

"What other choice did we have? We had to find someone to oppose her."

"Someone who would leave Zuafo alone? Someone who would permit you to rule as you please without any sort of interference because he's lazy and cares more about his clothes than his people."

"That's not - I didn't come here to be insulted - " Su sprang up.

Lin caught and pushed her back down. "No. You need to listen. For once in your fucking life Su, you need to listen to me."

"You and Tenzin and Raiko, all the world powers, you were happy to let Kuvira do the hard work. You were happy so long as she brought the chaos to order so that it couldn't spread and infect your cities and nations. You turned a blind eye until she grew powerful enough to stop playing nice. Then you decided to prop up a fool as the heir to the Earth Kingdom, a fool you could control through advisors and his own idiocracy, and thought Kuvira wouldn't have the balls to defy you."

"You turned your backs on the Earth Kingdom when they needed it most. Then you had the audacity to impose Wu the Twit on them, to replace the only person to seemed to have cared about what was happening to them. Kuvira fooled them, yes, but you all helped."

"Are you saying we deserve this?" screeched Su. "That this is our comeuppance - that when she comes for Zaofu -"

"No, of course not. But you need to stop dreaming, stop wishing, stop seeing what you want to see...and face the reality. As you said, Zaofu is next and -"

"We'll fight. I won't let her take my city!"

"Do you honestly think you can win?" demanded Lin.

Su's face fell. She froze for a moment.

In an uncertain tone, she then said, "We'll have help. The other nations -"

Lin barked a hoarse laugh. "Don't kid yourself. Raiko won't go to war for you; he won't stick his neck out to save a minor city-state in another nation. Izumi can't because the Earth Kingdom still remembers the _last _war and Kuvira would only need to fan those embers. The Water Tribes have no armies to speak of, just navies; the Air Nation has no warriors and, even if some agree to fight, they can't afford to lose Airbenders. You're on your own."

"What do you suggest? That I just give up? Surrender?" Su shrieked.

"Yes."

Su gaped at her.

"What?" she whispered into the silence. "You want me to -"

"Surrender. Yes."

"I won't - I'll die before I let her -"

"Exactly." Lin took her sister's hand, squeezing hard. "You will die. Your people will die. Your city will be destroyed."

"Maybe not - maybe -"

"You've always been the dreamer, Su, but you have to know the truth. Kuvira will take Zaofu. It's a matter of how - and right now, you have one bargaining chip, a good one at that."

"Which is?"

"Kuvira has the world watching now. She'll want to bring Zaofu in with as little blood spilled as possible. She'll want to play the savior. More, Zaofu is her version of paradise, her shining exemplar for the rest of the world - she'd not going to want it battered and bloodstained if she can avoid it," explained Lin in a voice like granite. "Use that. Bargain with her. Surrender, but force her to accept your terms. Better to be alive and conquered than dead."

"I can't - I won't - Zaofu is _my_ city and I - "

"Then do what is best for your people. Do what will preserve their lives rather than sending them to die in a battle you _can't_ win. Do not let pride or stubbornness or defiance get in the way."

"We know she doesn't keep her promises, I'm just as -"

"She'll keep these, at least for a while, with the world watching. She's not ready for a war with the whole world, not yet."

"What'd you mean, not yet?"

Lin bared her teeth. "I don't for a second think Kuvira will be satisfied with the Earth Kingdom. I expect she'll turn her attention the United Republic sooner or later, try to reunite us with her glorious empire."

"If that's true, then why won't Raiko -"

"Because he is stupid enough to believe Kuvira can be satiated with the Earth Kingdom. He doesn't realize she's like a starving hyena-lion; you have to keep feeding her or she'll come after you and Zaofu is the last piece of meat he's got on hand."

"And you want me to give it to her? Without fighting? Accept defeat?" demanded Su.

"I said surrender. Not 'accept defeat," Lin replied sternly. "You have two choices. Fight and Zaofu will fall broken. Surrender and survive with as much strength as possible. Fight and die or surrender, live, and fight another day and in other ways."

The tea cooled.

Su swallowed and slid her hand forwards in Lin's grip. The sisters clasped each other's wrist.

"You could come with me...to Zaofu."

"One more metalbender won't swing the balance," Lin said quietly, "and, my responsibility lies with Republic City. I'll be needed here when the war comes, and even before, I'll be able to help if I'm on the outside, where Kuvira can't easily touch me."

"I understand. I do."

"But if you ask...if you ask again...I'll go with you."

Su's head jerked. "Lin - and if I decide to fight?"

"Then I'll fight beside you."

_"__And die protecting you,"_ was the unspoken ending.

_She's three and it's thundering and it's Lin who climbs into the too-small bed, risking falling off in the night, and holds her until the storm passes. _

_She's seven and her Mommy arrested his Daddy so he and his friends come after her on the playground and it's Lin who steps between her and them and makes them leave. _

_She's nine and her throat hurts and she's hot and everything is blurry and it's Lin who stays home and brings her tea with crackers and reads to her and it's Lin who's sick the following week. _

_She's eleven and she's been teased all day for having tears in her dresses and it's Lin who sits up hours and sews every last tear closed. _

_She's fifteen and thinks herself wildly in love and he gets her drunk, very drunk, and she's about to be another notch on his bedpost and it's Lin who scares him away and drags her whining, petulant self home. _

_She's sixteen and she's gone too far and she needs a wakeup call and it's Lin who stops her and it's Lin's blood and pain and almost shattered jaw that saves her._

_She's forty-five and they're fighting monsters and it's Lin who makes herself the bait to give Su the opening. _

"No, I'm not going to ask," Su whispered. "You're right. You'll be needed here, you can help from here, and one more wouldn't make a difference."

"If you're sure…" Her sister looked torn, worry lines miles deep.

"I mean it, Lin. Don't come."

Lin bowed her head. "I'm sorry, I wish - "

"Don't apologize. You have your city; I have mine. It's okay, Lin." Su squeezed her sister's wrist until her fingers and the fingermarks on Lin whitened. "You can't protect me this time."

"I could try."

"I know. But - if I know you're out here, alive and free - if Zaofu falls - it will give me strength. I know you won't forget us, I know you'll do everything you can to free us, and I'll be glad to know Kuvira doesn't have every person I love in her claws. " Su smiled, wavering but sincere. "Besides, you've always been the strongest. Kuvira won't know what hit her."

"I'll make damn sure she doesn't," Lin vowed. "Just keep yourself and your family alive, alright?"

"I'll do my best."

"I love you, Brat."

"I love you too, Shrew."

* * *

><p><em>Thanks to Amonnim who prompted: Please write story about it after The Coronation Lin visiting Suyin at the hotel! As you can see, it turned out a little different but still satisfies I hope. <em>


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